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Hey all,
I've been experiencing some difficulty with my 1973 GT6 MKIII. When I try to start it up, the engine will turn over, but there is evidently no spark, or, at any rate, intermittent spark (perhaps one of every ten times I try to start it, it will run briefly and then die).
Now, it turns out that a previous owner converted the breaker point point distributor to a Pertronix Ignitor electronic ignition system, which I thought I had pinpointed as the problem. I first replaced the ignition coil, the spark plugs and the spark plug cables, and even went so far as to replace the Ignitor system. Although the ignition system doesn't run through any of the fuses, I've replaced those. With a multimeter, I have determined that the ignition coil is getting a solid 12 volts of power from the starter solenoid. I have also determined that, when the circuit is interrupted, the coil will generate spark. Additionally, I have hooked the coil directly to the battery, bypassing the ignition switch entirely, to no avail.
Effectively, I have determing that the ignition coil (Indeed, the entire ignition system outside of the distributor) is working and is getting power, but the circuit is not being interupted by the Ignitor to achieve the required spark in the engine. Indeed, the problem seems to be that the ground wire on the Ignitor is not effectively grounding the ignition coil, regardless of the position of the distributor cam, so that the current is not actually completing the circuit in the ignition coil itself. The intermittence is the most baffling part of all this, since the car will seem to be running fine until it dies.
I recently adjusted the rocker clearances, and being a novice mechanic, may have made a mistake, but I can't imagine making so catastrophic a mistake as to prevent the engine from starting, and when it does start it runs fine (I've driven it around the block a couple times before it has died, though, on the most recent around-the-block trip, there was a loud disturbing bang from the engine compartment, after which the RPMs refused to exceed 2500, I pray that this doesn't indicate a hole blown in some critical part of the engine).
Having replaced virtually the entire ignition system, the only conlusion that occurs to me is that gremlins have taken up residence inside my distributor, which seems improbable, given the dubious existence of gremlins. Needless to say, I'm at a bit of a loss here, and any insight would be greatly appreciated.
I've been experiencing some difficulty with my 1973 GT6 MKIII. When I try to start it up, the engine will turn over, but there is evidently no spark, or, at any rate, intermittent spark (perhaps one of every ten times I try to start it, it will run briefly and then die).
Now, it turns out that a previous owner converted the breaker point point distributor to a Pertronix Ignitor electronic ignition system, which I thought I had pinpointed as the problem. I first replaced the ignition coil, the spark plugs and the spark plug cables, and even went so far as to replace the Ignitor system. Although the ignition system doesn't run through any of the fuses, I've replaced those. With a multimeter, I have determined that the ignition coil is getting a solid 12 volts of power from the starter solenoid. I have also determined that, when the circuit is interrupted, the coil will generate spark. Additionally, I have hooked the coil directly to the battery, bypassing the ignition switch entirely, to no avail.
Effectively, I have determing that the ignition coil (Indeed, the entire ignition system outside of the distributor) is working and is getting power, but the circuit is not being interupted by the Ignitor to achieve the required spark in the engine. Indeed, the problem seems to be that the ground wire on the Ignitor is not effectively grounding the ignition coil, regardless of the position of the distributor cam, so that the current is not actually completing the circuit in the ignition coil itself. The intermittence is the most baffling part of all this, since the car will seem to be running fine until it dies.
I recently adjusted the rocker clearances, and being a novice mechanic, may have made a mistake, but I can't imagine making so catastrophic a mistake as to prevent the engine from starting, and when it does start it runs fine (I've driven it around the block a couple times before it has died, though, on the most recent around-the-block trip, there was a loud disturbing bang from the engine compartment, after which the RPMs refused to exceed 2500, I pray that this doesn't indicate a hole blown in some critical part of the engine).
Having replaced virtually the entire ignition system, the only conlusion that occurs to me is that gremlins have taken up residence inside my distributor, which seems improbable, given the dubious existence of gremlins. Needless to say, I'm at a bit of a loss here, and any insight would be greatly appreciated.
